This is a blog about Singapore and our social and business connectivity with the world. It is about what's happening in Singapore and outside Singapore and how we can thrive and survive in an increasingly flatter world.

Contributors

George YeoMinister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. Guest Columnist of BeyondSG. He is on Facebook. Readers are welcome to join his Facebook network at http://www.facebook.com/georgeyeopage

Harold FockEntrepreneur (Chief Editor of BeyondSG).
Deputy CEO/CFO of a listed technology company in Asia and CEO of Foundation Capital Pte Ltd, a hedge fund based in Singapore.

September 06, 2006

Global Connectivity and Friendships

My 'old' friend, Harold, invited me to blog on his new site. I wasn't sure at first because Harold is a funny guy and I am not. But, then, contrast may be good.

Inspired by his piece on globalisation, I would like to make a pitch on behalf of the Singapore International Foundation. The SIF was established 15 years ago, a year after Goh Chok Tong became PM. I was very much involved in its formation. Chan Heng Chee was available after her tour at the UN; Simon Tay was prepared to help push Singapore Volunteers Overseas. So we were off to a flying start. The Swiss provided a good model for us. They were globalised long before we were and had developed a worldwide web for themselves. When they were overseas, they established Swiss rifle ranges (including one in Singapore) to keep up their marksmenship skills. When their entrepreneurs failed and were stranded in foreign lands, they had a fund to bring them home. And, of course, it was the Swiss who started the International Red Cross.

SIF has two basic objectives. First, to link up overseas Singaporeans with each other and with the home country. Second, to create an international network of friends of Singapore. Since 1991, Singapore society and the Singapore economy has become much more globalised. For a relatively small city-state, we now have quite a large international presence. Our external wing will continue to grow for many years to come. We are succeeding in transcending the limitations of our geographical confines.

I had an interesting discussion this morning with Peggy Kek, Deputy Executive Director of the SIF, and Steve Wyatt, an American from the Monitor Group who has lived in Singapore for six years. The SIF is taking stock of its achievements and reviewing its corporate positioning for the future. This is an exciting time for Singaporeans as frontiers once closed are opened to us, in all directions. We have more external space than we are able to make full use of because of our small population. Happily, we have many friends who are more than willing to help us including Steve who is working pro bono for the SIF review.

Many years ago, SIF sent a small team of surgeons to Malang in East Java to help train doctors there repair cleft lips. A small effort, but one that changed the lives of young children who would otherwise grow up scarred and stigmatised. Through various programmes, we have helped train tens of thousands of people from developing countries over the years. More than we realise, many of them treasure their links to Singapore. When the Crown Prince of Bhutan visited us recently, he told us that we have many friends in his mountain kingdom. We should cherish these friendships. There will be times when we ourselves will need help.

I loved this blog. It's just full of interesting things to read, and I myself am starting to develop some kind of different perspective of "globalization." I'm a Brazilian born in Singapore, dual-citizenship (to deal with once I'm 21...) and I'm soon going to have to deal with college decisions. Brazil? US? Singapore? Business Adm? Publicity? Marketing? Reading some of this has helped a bit, but there's still more to come. :)

I took a walk from SRC to the Esplanade via the underground linkway one early morning to check out the video libary at the Esplanade. The sight of many homeless ones sleeping on the floors shocked me. Some of them were obviously foreigners, but there was at least one young Malay couple who was Singaporean. Why bother with the folks in Malang (where's that?) when the destitutes in our own homeland are left without social assistance?

I think I ought to respond to the Minister's comments; to alieviate the angst of my relatives and the amusement of my friends!

The Minister's comments were accurate except in one small regard: In fact I am not American - but British.

As the subject is the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) and internationalism I might continue that perhaps the mistaken identity is a consequence of my own 'step too far' in my personal journey of 'internationalism'.

Having lived and worked in the US, as well as Hong Kong, Italy and France - I like to think that I have a fond attachment to each country and to each people; and that I have learnt and absorbed 'something' from my time in each place (topped off, of course, by the past 6 years in Singapore)- However, perhaps I have absorbed too much from my time in America - and hence the confusing accent!

It is because of my belief in the benefits (both personal and national) of an international perspective and international experiences that I am supporting SIF in its current review of how to further enhance its impact.

I see the SIF as a facilitator of internationalism and international connectivity for Singaporeans; particularly in two ways

1. helping a wide cross-section of Singaporeans to experience, at a personal and meaningful level, what it means to be 'International' (and at the same time what it means to be Singaporean)- SIF achieves this through the provision of opportunities for individuals and groups to carry their values, culture and skills into neighbouring countries and humanitarian projects.

2. In helping the alumni (of study or work in Singapore) and the 'diaspora' of Singapore to remain connected to Singapore when they leave this country. SIF helps to maintain the international community of 'friends of Singapore' - to keep them interacting together and connected to Singapore. In this way the value of this community asset should not diminish with time or distance. The value of this community to Singapore is economic, social, cultural, humanitarian and even political- as it is an asset of 'goodwill'; a result of the positive experience that we foreigners have when we are here in Singapore.

If in the future I do have to move on from Singapore then I too will become an alum - I will carry in my heart also a connection to this country......although I will try to avoid picking up the accent!